


Is This It?

by TheDumbestAvenger



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Avengers Endgame, Family Feels, Fluff and Angst, Infinity Stone Soul World (Marvel), Natasha Romanov Feels, Parent Tony Stark, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Protective Peter Parker, Protective Tony Stark, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, and they get one too
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-15
Updated: 2020-05-15
Packaged: 2021-03-03 05:35:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,304
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24199828
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheDumbestAvenger/pseuds/TheDumbestAvenger
Summary: "And I... am... Iron Man."Tony snapped his fingers, expecting a surge of pain to shoot across his body and welcome him into the soft embrace of death. Instead, he finds himself in some kind of other world, greeted by the face of the kid he only just got back.
Relationships: Peter Parker & Tony Stark
Comments: 9
Kudos: 110





	Is This It?

_ "Tony?" _

This was… unexpected. Unexpected and unusual, but strangely beautiful. Tony stood on a beach, of sorts. There was sand under his feet, and a calm sea stretched out as far as the eye could see, but everything was kind of  _ orange _ . 

He looked down at his hands, trembling ever so slightly, he wore a t-shirt and comfy jacket instead of his nanotech suit. No infinity stones in sight. His body no longer ached from the beating Thanos had given him. Everything seemed unreal and yet, he bet down and scooped up a handful of sand, letting it run through his fingers. 

Yep. Definitely real.

"Tony!"

He straightened up and spun around, coming face to face with…

"Peter?"

He was older, that was for sure, but still young. Taller, and his face beginning to show the stresses of his life. But his eyes were the same as the fifteen-year-old kid who didn't want to go to Germany because  _ he had homework. _

Panic settled in Tony's stomach. "Is this the future? Did it not work, did Thanos win again?" He fumbled over his words

"No, no!" Peter calmed, "You defeated him. You won, Tony." Tony let out a long, shaky breath. "But, I suppose you could call this the future. But also the present for both of us."

Tony raised an eyebrow, "That's perfectly non-confusing." He hesitated, just looking at Peter’s bittersweet smile. "Judging by your face… I don't survive this one, do I?"

Peter shook his head, a tear slipping over his cheek. "Not this time."

"I see…" Tony looked off to the side, unable to make eye contact as he thought about all the people he's going to leave behind. "I... Did I make the right choice? I'm scared I did the wrong thing here and screwed everything up."

"You did the right thing. I wish it wasn't, but this is one way Strange saw us winning."

Silence stretched before them until Tony eventually spoke up. "Tell me what happens."

"That's a big ask." Peter chuckled. "Where to start… Well, the whole world mourns you. There are memorials, graffiti, documentaries, you name it. The Avengers reform, albeit a different team, but we carry your legacy with honour. You won't believe this, but Steve travels back in time to live a normal life. He came back all old with a wedding ring and gave his shield to Sam."

"I did keep telling him to get a life," Tony muttered, "I didn't quite mean like that."

Peter carried on talking, "Pepper. She takes it really hard, but you know Pepper, she only comes out the other side stronger. You'd be so proud of what she achieves with the company: paving the way to clean energy across the globe, interning hundreds of kids like me - kids like you - who wouldn't normally get the opportunity. It's really an endless list."

"Morgan, now she's a great kid, you did a good job raising her. She holds onto every memory of you. The number of times she's told me the juice pops story…" Peter trailed off as Tony started laughing.

"Did she tell you I figured out time travel right before that?"

"That's my favourite part." Peter laughed, "Actually no, my favourite part is when you told her that only Pepper can say shit. Morgan's called it 'The S Word' for close to ten years now."

"Ten years?" Tony asked in disbelief, unconsciously taking a step back. "That's how long it's been for you?"

Peter nodded. "Morgan's on track to graduate summa cum laude from MIT this year. You'd be proud of her, too. She's certainly proud of you, of what you did."

Tony let out a long breath, tears beginning to form in his eyes but the biggest grin on his face from imagining how bright Morgan's future will be. "What about you? Still swinging around in spandex?" 

Peter rolled his eyes, "It's not spandex, but yeah. I'm pretty sure Nick Fury has me on speed dial. Actually, I have a bone to pick with you."

Tony cocked his head. "You can't let a dying man go in peace." They both cringed at the word 'dying', but somehow it didn't sting as much as it should have.

"Remember a guy named Quentin Beck?"

"Yeah, an unhinged guy who created some good tech. I had to fire him."

"Well, he took that out on me. It's a long story that ends in him revealing my identity to the entire world. So thanks for that one. Are there any more 'unhinged' ex-employees I should know about?"

"'Ex-employee' is a long list, 'unhinged' a little shorter. Maybe stay on the lookout." 

Peter chuckled, "I work at Stark Industries, now. When I'm not dealing with world-ending threats."

"Gunning for my old position?"

Peter dropped his head, his expression turning serious. "You always told me to aim high, so I aimed for the best man I ever knew."

"Shucks, Pete. You're gonna make me blush." Tony lifted Peter's chin. "I'm going to hug you now."

"Okay," Peter muttered as Tony wrapped his arms around him. He leaned into the touch, resting his head on Tony's shoulder and closing his eyes. Allowing himself to pretend, for a moment, that this wasn't some strange alternate reality and was, in fact, how their lives panned out. He committed the feeling to memory.

"I'm sorry that I hijacked your childhood," Tony whispered. "I should never have dragged you into Cap and I's dispute-"

"No," Peter cut in. "That was the best thing that happened to me, I can't thank you enough for it."

Tony pulled back, holding Peter at arm's length. "I'm proud of you, Peter."

Peter's eyes filled with tears, "You don't know me, not this me."

"I do. I might not have been there, but I know your heart. And I know your soul, there's not a trace of darkness to be found. I'm proud of who you've grown to be." Tony looked down as Peter wiped tears from his cheek, giving him a moment of privacy. "I see something went right." He said, pointing to the wedding ring on Peter's finger.

A warm smile broke out across Peter's face, "MJ. She proposed last year on Tower Bridge. It's a bit different since they fixed it up, but it's where we had our first kiss."

Tony frowned, "What happened to Tower Bridge?"

Peter screwed his face up. "Don't be mad, but I kinda blew a lot of it up with your Edith drones."

"You did what?"

"If anything, it's kinda your fault, I was trying to stop Beck."

Tony grinned, remembering the last time Peter said those words. He was glad to know Peter was still the same kid he always had been.

Tony frowned again. "I think it's time I go." He didn't want to leave, he didn't want to say goodbye. And he certainly didn't want to go back to his dying body in the hellish nightmare place Thanos' had created, but he knew it was time. He could  _ feel _ it.

A sudden thought flickered through his head, "Tell Happy he was the best friend I could have asked for. Make sure he knows it."

Peter nodded, he understood. Pepper, Rhodey, and the rest of the Avengers were there to say goodbye, but Happy never got the chance. "Only if you tell Natasha that her sacrifice worked, that we all miss her and wish we could speak to her again."

_ Natasha. _

Tony hadn't stopped to think about it. The thought of a familiar face where he was going, wherever that would be, was an immense comfort. He took one last look at Peter, accepting his fate in the knowledge that Peter would be there for his family. Who was he kidding, Peter  _ is  _ family. 

"I'll let her know. Goodbye, kid."

"Goodbye, Mister Stark."

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed and want to see more of Tony as a parent, check out my fic Born of Iron! Thank you!


End file.
